As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses continually seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users of information is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems may include a processor, sometimes referred to as a microprocessor, and an associated chip set. Some computer systems, including server computer systems, may include a redundant power supply. One purpose of a redundant power supply is to have at least two independent power supply modules providing power to the computer system. If one of the power supply modules fails, the remaining power supply modules are able to power the computer system without an adverse effect on the operation of the computer system. Redundant power supplies are often organized as an array of individual power supplies. One configuration is an N+1 configuration. In an N+1 power supply configuration, one power supply in the power supply array can fail without affecting the performance of the computer system, as the computer system may continue to operate with N operational power supplies. If the power supply array includes only two power supplies in an N+1 configuration, each power supply must be sufficient to power the entire computer system. Each power supply, however, consumes space within the enclosure of the computer system. More powerful power supplies—those rated to deliver a higher wattage output—typically are larger than power supplies rated at a lower wattage output.
As computer systems become physically smaller, space within the enclosure of the computer system is at a premium. The use of an N+1 configuration in a power supply array having two power supplies mandates that each power supply be rated such that the power supply can power the highest power draw configuration of the computer system. The highest power draw configuration of the computer system is rarely, if ever, reached and typically involves the maximum use of hardware and software resources of the computer system during a period that the computer system is at an elevated ambient temperature. A computer system having an N+1 redundant power supply configuration will include at least two power supplies, each of which is physically large in size and is rated to accommodate a power draw event in the computer system that rarely, if ever, occurs.